Folding shower bath



Feb. 23, 1932.

T. J. CUNNINGHAM FOLDING SHOWER BATH Filed May 22. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /af //1 36 I 56 1 I /4 35" v a7 I g C u Q Z/ if /4 14 J Tm mw ia Feb. 23, 1932. 'r. J. CUNNINGHAM FOLDING SHOWER BA'rii Filed May 22, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVZNTOZZ m, 6 J! T 2 Feb. 23, 1932.

T. J. CUNNINGHAM FOLDING SHOWER BATH a Sheets-Shet 3 Filed May 22, 1951 Patented Feb. 23, 1 932 UNITED squares THOMAS J. CUNNINGHAM, or PHILA ELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA FOLDING SHOWER BATH Application filed May 22,

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a folding shower bath, and has for one of its objects to provide an exceedingly simple and efiectivedevice of this character including a cabinet for installation or erection in the wall of a building, a partition or other suitable and desirable location which cabinet is designed to contain all the appurtenants of a shower bath including it the permanent plumbing fixtures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding shower bath in which the cabinet preferably is of such depth between the front and back thereof as to be installed 5 within the confines of a wall.

Another object of'the invention is to provide a foldable shower bath in which a trough is provided at the bottom of a cabinet from which leads a waste outlet and an overflow to prevent undue accumulation of water therein, said trough being utilized to receive the water from a platform arranged in an inclined position when open and extending some distance into the trough in order to preventsplashing or running of water on to the floor.

A further object of the invention is to construct a foldable shower bath which will include a cabinet having members hinged thereto to act as closures for the front ofthe cabinet and when in an open position to function as a platform and support for the curtains.

A further object of the inventionis to provide means on which the curtains are hung and which permits said curtains to be extended for enclosing the shower when in use and also to be retracted when not in use although said curtains will be maintained in a full length suspended condition even after the cabinet is closed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective means for holding the lower ends of the curtains in proper position.

With these and other ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims. i

1931. Serial No. 539,256.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which g Fig. 1 ,is a front elevation of a folding shower bath constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the same closed.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device open, but the curtains retracted.

F 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of Fig- 2, with the curtains extended and show ing the relation of the cabinet to the wall when installed therein. 1 1

Fig. 4 is a section on the line t4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

In carrying out-my invention as herein embodied,,10 represents a cabinet preferably of stamped or drawn sheet metal including a back wall 11, side or end walls 12, a bottom wall 13, a short upstanding front wall 14 which with the other walls of the cabinet form a trough 15 at the bottom of the cabinet which is water tight, a top wall 16, and if found desirable, an apron 1'? depending from the forward edge of the top wall.

This cabinet is designed to be placed within the confines of a. building wall or partition 18 of any desirable, well known or usual con-l struct-ion but for convenience of illustration only said wall is shown as of hollow construction or one having an air space wherein such a wall includes suitable studding 19 for supporting the lath and plaster structures 20.

In other words, it is desirable that the cabinet be as shallow as possible between the front and back thereof. While the device is particularly adapted for use or installation in a wall or partition of a building, it can be installed in the open or in an alcove or closet or even against a wall of a room, such as a bath room or toilet.

The majority of the plumbingfixtures are ofthe stationary type and are of the general class used in connection with shower bathapparatus but particularly I prefer to have a'waste pipe or outlet 21 leading from the bottom of the trough portion of the cabinet and provided with a trap 22 all of which is preferably arranged under the floor 23 and connected with the usual pipes leading to a place of disposal. If found desirable, the plumbing fixtures or pipes can be of the exposed or visible type, in which case the cabinet could be slightly elevated. An overflow pipe 2-f is connected with the trough any suitable distance above its bottom but below the upper edge of the short front wall 14 and leads to the drain pipe 21 ahead of the trap 22 so that if for any reason the direct drain from the trough is stopped up the water will pass off through the overflow without running on to the floor of the room or between parts of the wall or partition.

Passing through the floor or the wall of the building and thence to the inside of the cabinet through its bottom back or side walls, are water supply pipes 25 having valves 26 therein for controlling the water supply and said supply pipes 25 merge into or are connected with a single stand-pipe 27 where the hot and cold waters will intermingle and become mixed so as to provide a supply of water of the proper temperature to the shower head 23 carried by the pipe 29 which is swiveled to the pipe 27 so that the shower head and its pipe 29 may be collapsed or swung down against the back of the cabinet in a substantially vertical position so as to be completely housed or enclosed in the cabinet when not in use and so that it may be swung into a horizontal position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, when it is to be used. The stand-pipe 27 may also be provided with a valve 30 especially where a hose connect-ion 31 is mounted in the pipe 27, in which case the hose connection 31 is also provided with a valve 32. The hose connection makes it possible to at tach a flexible hose thereto so as to use a shampoo spray head, a fountain brush or other appliance.

The front of the cabinet is normally closed by upper and lower doors or closures 33 and. 34 respectively, and the latter is really a combination closure and platform because in addition to its panel 35, it is provided with an upstanding flange or rim 36 on three sides while the fourth side is open or unobstructed. The open or unobstructed side or end is the lower end when the closure 34: is in a. closed position and is the inner end when said closure 34 is in an open position, said.

closure being pivoted, hinged or swingingly mounted as at 56 between the side walls of the cabinet above the upper edge of the short front wall 14 and a short distance inside of the front edges of the side walls so that the open end of the combination closureplatform extends into the cabinet a short distance beyond the short front wall 14- when in an open position to reduce to a minimum the possibility of any water flowing from the platform, from splashing or running over the short front wall outside of the cabinet.

In order support the outer end of the combination closure-platform 3i and maintain it in a slightly inclined position when in use, I mount a bar 37 across the outside thereof which bar acts as the foot or support when the closure-platform is in an open position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and which may also be used as a towel rack when the combination closure-platform is in a closed position as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The top closure 33 is pivoted, hinged or swingingly mounted as at 38 in a manner similar to the closure 34 between the side walls of the cabinet and some distance out side of its inner end, which inner end hecomes the top end when the top closure 33 is in a closed position and at which time the inner end will be some distance above the pivot or hinge point for a purpose to be presently described. The top closure 33 may be held in an open position in any suitable manner but for purposes of simplicity in illustration, I have shown the same as being maintained in a raised position by a jointed bracket arm 39 connected with the top closure and some suitable part of the cabinet.

\Vith the top closure 33 and the shower head in raised or elevated positions, the device is ready for use and if the swivel. connection between the stand-pipe 27 and the pipe 29 is sufiiciently stiff, the shower head will remain in its raised position withoutthe use of any other support but if the swivel connection is loose or becomes worn, it may be necessary to provide means for insuring that the shower head will remain in a raised position and therefor I have shown a support 4-0 carried by the top closure which will engage the shower bath fixture, either the shower head 28 or the pipe 29, when said bath fixture is raised.

A curtain rod frame 41 is suspended from the lower or inner face of the top closure 33 and is of rectangular formation as plainly shown in Fig. at, so as to correspond with the general outline or shape of the top closure and is nearly the same size as said top closure. This curtain rod frame is suspended only at two points, one of them being midway the length of the front part and the other being midway the length of the back part of said frame by means of brackets 42. This permits the hanging of two curtains 43 one on each half of the frame and when in use each curtain will hang from one of the side members and one half of the front member of the frame with adjacent edges meeting at the point of suspension of the front part of the frame.

When the folding shower bath is to be closed up, the curtains are pushed back until each one occupies one half of the rear part or rod of the curtain rod frame 41 and then when the top closure 33 is swung down into its closed position said rear rod of the curtain rod frame will move in the arc of the circle about the point 38 and slightly raise the curtains so as to insure their suspension in straight lines throughout their entire length.

When the curtains are in use and spread out over their respective parts of the curtain rod frame the lower ends may be held in close association with the lower closure-platform by any suitable means and for purpose of illustration I have shown guides 44, each of L-shaped construction, pivoted to suitable brackets 45 within the cabinet and designed to swing up against the back of said cabinet or down into the combined lower closureplatform with the lower ends of the curtains slidably mounted thereon through the use of a hem, rings or snaps. While it should be obvious, I wish to state at this time that the guides 44 may be joined together at their free ends or they may be produced in one piece so as to actually form a U-shaped guide. Regardless of the actual construction or'arrangement of the guide means the object is to provide for holding the curtains close to the sides or rim 36 and yet permit said ourtains to be readily thrown back into their inoperative positions.

From the foregoing, it will be particularly noted that I have provided a very simple and unique structure that may be installed in small bath-rooms or any room of a house or apartment and will occupy very little space when not in use and if erected in a wall of a building the whole device will be practically unnoticeable. A ain it should be noted that the device may be placed in operative or inoperative condition quickly and with very little effort, and when closed everything except the front panels of the closure and the front part of the cabinet will be con cealed.

Of course, I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1. A folding shower bath consisting of a cabinet open at the front a short distance above the bottom to produce a water tight trough, a water outlet connected to the bottom of the trough portion of the cabinet, water supply means entering said cabinet, a shower appliance swingingly connected with the supply means whereby it may be extended outside of the cabinet or swung down within the cabinet, lower closure means swingingly connected with the lower part of the cabinet and so positioned that when open the lower end projects within the cabinet, an upper closure swingingly connected to the cabinet and curtains to enclose the space between the two closures within the confines of the dimensions of said closures when the latter are in open positions.

2.- The structure set forth in claim 1, in combination with means carried by the upper closure and cooperating with the shower appliance to temporarily retain said appliance in an extended position. a

3. A folding shower bath consisting of a cabinet having a trough at the bottom, drain age means lead'ag from the trough portion of said cabinet, water supply means entering said cabinet, a shower appliance swiveled to said supply means whereby it may be extended to a position with a part outside of the confines of the cabinet or be swun into said cabinet, a combined closure-platform swingingly connected with the lower part of the cabinet and projecting into the trough when in an open position, means to support the combined closure-platform in an inclined position when open, said means functioning as a rack when the closure-platform is in a closed position and an upper closure swingingly mounted in the cabinet and coacting with the closure platform when both are in a closed position for concealing the shower bath appurtenances.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, in combination with curtain holding means can ried by the upper closure, guide means swingingly connected with the cabinet whereby it may be swung into the cabinet or out upon the combined closure-platform, and curtains suspended from the means carried by the upper closure and connected with the guide means for enclosing the space between the two closure means defined by their dimensions.

5. A folding shower bath consisting of a cabinet open at the front some distance above the bottom, the lower portion of said cabinet constituting a water tight trough, a drain leading from said trough, a shower bath appliance swingingly mounted within the cabinet, means entering said cabinet and connected with the appliance for supplying water thereto, a pair of closures swingingly connected with the cabinet, one near the upper end and the other near the lower end of said cabinet and cooperating to normally close the open front of the cabinet, the lower closure functioning as a platform when open, rack on the lower closure and functioning as a support when said lower closure is open, and means on the lower closure to cause water falling therein to flow into the trough portion of the cabinet.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5, in

' combination with means to temporarily hold the upper closure in an open position, and curtains suspended from said upper closure and hanging inside of the lower closure.

7. In a folding shower bath a cabinet, an upper closure member swingingly mounted within said cabinet, a curtain rod frame can ried by said closure and having a portion projecting beyond the points of connection of the closure with the cabinet whereby when sai closure is closed said portion of the curtain rod frame will swing upwardly, and curtains slidably mounted on said curtain rod frame so as to be slightly elevated when on the projecting portion of the curtain rod frame and the closure is moved to its closed position.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7 in combination with guide means swingingly connected with the cabinet and on which the curtains are slidably mounted.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

THOMAS J. CUNNINGHAM. 

